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(Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)

Wal-Mart has now decided that it will, after all, attend week-long talks about gun legislation at the White House. At first, Wal-Mart declined the Oval Office overtures, a direct invitation from the task force led by Vice President Joe Biden, saying no executives were available.

Fighting against criticism that it should accept, Wal-Mart—the world's largest retailer and the nation's largest seller of munitions—stressed that it already opened dialog with administration officials. "Knowing our senior leaders could not be in Washington this week, we spoke in advance with the Vice President’s office to share our perspective," says David Tovar, a company spokesman. "We underestimated the expectation to attend the meeting on Thursday in person, so we are sending an appropriate representative to participate."

Wal-Mart's initial position on the gun summit was originally reported by The Wall Street Journal. The meetings hope to review gun violence in America in the wake of last month's deadly school shooting in Newtown, Conn., and the ambush of two firefighters outside Rochester, N.Y. Biden will meet with several firearm advocates, including the NRA, as well as gun-safety groups.

The violence in Newton and Rochester seemed to significantly increase the likelihood of new firearm legislation. Many Democrats have voiced support for a new version of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired under President George W. Bush, and limited some styles of weapons and magazine sizes.

A semi-automatic rifle, made to resemble a M-16 combat weapon, has been linked to both shootings. Gun-safety advocates may push to limit the sales of these rifles—firearms that at least one major gun company admits drive youth interest—and cut back on features like flash suppressors, telescoping stocks and pistol grips.

Wal-Mart says it won't make any changes to the way it sells firearms. Walmart.com lists 10 modern sporting rifles, the industry term for semi-automatic rifles. (Changed to try and ditch any confusion that the rifles were automatic rifles. They are not. The trigger must be squeezed each time, though the rifles are certainly capable of terrific firing speed.) Wal-Mart did take down a listing of the Bushmaster AR-15, the Freedom Group-made rifle found at both Newton and Rochester. Cabela's, another major gun retailer, has stayed mum on the issue. Dick's Sporting Goods, meanwhile, suspended sales of guns similar to the Bushmaster AR-15.

Before now, Wal-Mart has tried to ease concerns about its sale of firearms. In 2008, it partnered with Mayors Against Illegal Guns to create a video database of gun purchases at its stores and said it would trace any firearms bought from its stores that were later used in a crime.

Fear about potential gun legislation has indeed driven rampant sales since President Obama won his first election. Figures from the publicly traded U.S. gun companies show that production has markedly increased, as have their profits.

At Wal-Mart, the decision to return to selling firearms at many stores in 2011—reversing an earlier decision to sell fewer and replace them in the sporting goods section with high-end fitness equipment—may have led to its first increase in same-store sales in more than two years in October 2011. In the fourth quarter of that year, gun sales reached record-high amid speculation that Obama would win reelection.

Given the huge business of guns at Wal-Mart, you understand why it received the invite, if not why the behemoth business could not immediately locate one of its 2.2 million employees to attend the gun summit.